Keystone Predator

Science / Marine Biology / Keystone Predator: The dominant predator or the top predator that has a major influence on community structure. For example, sea otters are a keystone predator in kelp beds. Sea otters eat urchins that feed on kelp which house a huge diversity of other organisms. If sea otter populations are lowered in an area the kelp beds are generally reduced and urchin barrens appear.

Science / Biology / Predatory Release: Occurs when a predator species is removed from a prey species such as by great reduction in the predators population size or by the migration of the prey species to an area without major predators. Th MORE